New Orleans
by The Confused One
Summary: The story of what Bobby and Alex did in New Orleans besides talk to the banker during “Conscience”. BA shipping fic.
1. New Orleans

New Orleans

By: The Confused One

Summary: The story of what Bobby and Alex did in New Orleans besides talk to the banker during "Conscience".

Rating: K+

Warnings: Sexual references, but nothing too bad or descriptive.

Reviews: I would love some reviews. Thanks.

Archive: Sure. Just let me know where.

Disclaimer: I swear I don't own anything associated with CI. I have no money, and I mean no harm. Please don't sue. Thanks.

A/N: I guess I needed and wanted to write another fluff piece after some of the other stuff I've written. Not to mention that I've been bored and watching too much CI lately. Please enjoy and remember to review.

Walking out of her hotel room, Alex smiled. Bobby was also just coming out of his room. Walking over to him, she asked, "You look good. You ready?"

Bobby smiled now too. They had the whole night to themselves. They had done the interview already, and they didn't have to catch the plane till morning. It was the chance to have an anonymous night in New Orleans where they could just be Bobby and Alex, best friends and not Goren and Eames of the Major Case Squad for a change. They had decided to take definitely advantage of it. Looking her over, Bobby replied, knowing he'd get a rise out of her, "You look better. Let's go."

Wide-eyed, Alex laughed. Slapping his arm, she ordered, "Don't do that. Come on."

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Having found a nice but small restaurant with a live jazz band a dance floor, Bobby and Alex had settled in. Swallowing some rice, Bobby commented, "Nothing in New York tastes like this."

Alex swallowed the last of her chicken. With a nod, she agreed, "It's very good. But then, I'm still not even sure what you ordered. I don't recognize much of it."

Bobby laughed. It was a known fact to all who knew her that Alex Eames wasn't big on adventurous eating. He tried to remind her, "Just because you've never heard of it, doesn't mean it's not good."

Alex crinkled her nose. She replied, "I know that. I just know what I like. That's all."

Bobby arched his eyebrows and admitted, "If you say so."

The waitress walked up to the table. Placing the check on the table, she asked, "Is there anything else I can get for you?"

Bobby shook his head. He assured her, "No. We're fine. Thank you."

Alex shook her head. Finishing her glass of wine, Alex replied, "I wasn't kidding before Bobby. You really did choose a great place."

Bobby smiled. He shrugged and explained, "It looked like what we were looking for from the outside. You want to dance?"

Smiling, Alex nodded and agreed, "Sure."

Taking her hand he led her to the dance floor. As the soft, light jazz number played Bobby pulled her closer. Putting one hand on the small of her back, he pulled her even closer. He slowly led them across the dance floor.

Alex couldn't take her eyes from his. There was suddenly something electric between them. They had let down their guard and their real feelings were overwhelming them. His scent was almost intoxicating to her.

Bobby could smell her perfume. The room faded. The only people, the only world he knew was her. He was in a daze, until her lips touched his. Crashing back to earth, the surprise overwhelmed him. Pulling away, he met her eyes. He searched for answers and understanding. His voice was low and husky, "Eames. Alex, we can't."

Alex shook her head. Bobby had said it himself. They weren't supposed to be Bobby and Alex partners in the NYPD that night. They were Bobby and Alex best friends. She whispered, "Don't think. Just feel tonight."

Wide-eyed, Bobby followed Alex back to the table. Paying the check that had been left Bobby couldn't believe what was happening. He eyed her carefully, as she got her things together, and the trepidation began to return. He finally broke the silence, "Alex…"

Alex refused to let it be ruined. She interrupted him, "Don't. Tomorrow we can go back to New York and things will go back to before, but for tonight, it's just us. Let it be us."

Bobby nodded slowly. Following her out of the restaurant, he hoped they wouldn't regret this.

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Lying in his arms, Alex sighed happily. Looking up at him, she conceded, "That was amazing."

Bobby smiled too. He had to agree, "Yeah."

Alex snuggled back into his arms and replied, "We still have a few hours before we have to get up. Try to get some sleep Bobby. We'll be Goren and Eames when we get up."

Bobby sighed. He closed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep. A part of him didn't want to pretend it didn't happen. But he knew he couldn't work without her. His recent time with Bishop had reminded him of that. They'd have to live with how things were. Something about how Alex was handling it told him she already knew all of this and had accepted it way before he had. He decided that if she could, he could too. He finally drifted back off to sleep.


	2. Back in New York

New Orleans: Chapter 2

By: The Confused One

A/N: Due to requests that this story be continued, we have a chapter two. LOL Enjoy and please don't hate me for how I end it. Thank you and please review.

Sitting at his desk, Bobby stared at the report in front of him. He desperately tried not to think about the night before. He carefully avoided looking up and at her. He had been evading her gaze and speaking to her since they had boarded the plane, and he wasn't sure how long he was going to be able to keep it up. He wasn't sure what they were going to do. He was wracked with the very feelings he had been suppressing for a long time. He wasn't sure what to do with them. He was urgently trying to let it go, trying to be like Alex.

Alex closed her eyes and sighed. She knew he didn't know what to say to her anymore. She had gotten him all flummoxed and pushed him to look at feelings they had both been trying to ignore. She could literally feel how tense he was. She knew they couldn't go on like this. She was getting worried and starting to fear that she had made a mistake by pushing him like she did. She was starting to worry that he wasn't going to be able to separate his feelings anymore. Looking up at him, she sighed again. She could tell he was conspicuously avoiding looking at her, with his nose buried in a report. Having had enough, she said his name. She was relieved when he finally looked at her. She responded, "We need to talk. Follow me."

Bobby took a deep breath and did as he was told. He silently followed her into an empty interview room. He tried to speak first, "I'm sorry…"

Alex put her hand up to stop him. She shook her head and tried to keep her voice and emotions in check. This wasn't going to be easy for her. She explained, "No. This is my fault. I pushed when I shouldn't have. I started this and then expected everything to go right back to the way they were before. It wasn't fair to you. I'm not sorry it happened, but we need to find a way to get past it."

Thoroughly confused, Bobby didn't understand her attitude at all, but he tried to explain his feelings, "It just. It got things all confused for me, in my head."

Alex chuckled bitterly. She finally responded, "Of course it did. I should have known it would. I know how you feel about me, because I feel it too, but things are better the way they have been. It has to be this way."

Bobby eyed her carefully. He finally had to ask the question, "How are you OK with this?"

Alex sighed. She resisted the urge to touch his hand or cheek. She lowered her voice, and whispered, "Because I love you, and this is what you need from me. I can't be selfish about it."

Thrown, Bobby was only able to look at her for a moment. He tried to find the words. He got out her name and then fell short. His brain was going a million miles a minute by now.

Alex swallowed hard. She tried to explain further, "It's OK. I…came to this conclusion months ago. Now, you have to."

Bobby still could only stare for a moment. Finally meeting her eyes, he tried again, "We could make it work, if we wanted to. I'm not incapable of, working with someone else."

Alex shook her head. Desperately holding onto her composure, she insisted, "It would take a very long time for you to find someone you could truly work with again. There are too many small minds out there who could never understand you. I could never put you through that."

Bobby finally looked away and sighed. He responded, wistfully, "I'd gladly give it up…"

Alex refused to hear the words. It would only make it harder, and she loved him too much to wish he could or would change anything about himself. She instantly interrupted, "Don't say that. Your mind is perfect. I'd never want you any different. This is what you were meant to do Bobby, and you need someone who understands you and can follow you. Don't make this harder, please. We just need to, accept it, find our rhythm again, and move on."

Bobby couldn't help but be amazed at her sometimes. This was one of those times. He knew he might never understand why she was so insistent, but he knew he was going to have to accept it and bury his feelings again. She was making that much crystal clear. If it had been anyone else it would have felt like rejection. It would have hurt like rejection too, but this was Alex, and somehow, knowing she was still with him at work kept any pain to a minimum. He finally asked, "I'm not going to be able to say anything to change your mind, am I?"

Alex shook her head. Shakily, she replied, "No. Our relationship is set, and I'm not going to let it change. It's too important to me. Neither of us can let anything happen again. We should. We need to get back to work."

Bobby nodded slowly. He followed her back to their desks and was at a loss. He did the only thing he knew to do. He went back to his report and hoped to ease back to where they were before New Orleans.


	3. Resolutions

New Orleans: Chapter 3

By: The Confused One

A/N: Well, this is definitely going to be the last chapter. LOL So, please enjoy and review. Thanks.

Bobby lied in bed. He couldn't sleep, again. It had been a week since he had gotten, what for him would pass as, a full night's sleep. It had been a week since New Orleans. He was haunted by the words he couldn't forget and the taste of her skin and how good she felt under him.

Bobby groaned in frustration and turned onto his back. Staring at the ceiling, he decided this was getting him nowhere, but he couldn't let it go. He couldn't make it stop. He wanted her. He needed her, but he had heard her words. He understood what they meant, and he had spent the last week desperately trying to abide by her wishes. Every time he saw her, he had to stop himself from kissing her, from touching her.

Turning onto his side again, Bobby knew he was going to have to do something. He couldn't go on this way. They couldn't go on this way. It was killing him, slow torture. He saw her everyday, knowing how they both felt, and he couldn't have her. It was making him crazy and had long since driven him to distraction to the exclusion of almost anything else but casework. He knew he was supposed to back off, but he couldn't help but plot ways to continue to get her attention. He daydreamed of how they could be and how he could get her to give them that. He knew he was almost beginning to be obsessive, in the scary way, when it came to her. She was there. She was in just about every thought he had. He couldn't take much more of it.

He absently wondered if she felt the same way. He wondered if she was in the same agony. He decided the answer most likely, yes.

Out of frustration, he hit his pillow and tried to get comfortable in another new position. With a sigh, he looked at the clock. It was already past four in the morning, and Bobby knew he wasn't going to be getting anymore sleep that night. Getting up, he decided that it had to stop, and he had to be the one to make it stop. Waiting for her was never going to get him anywhere. Getting dressed, he took a deep breath, hoping he could make this work.

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Alex stared at the ceiling, absently letting her memories of a week ago flutter through her head. She could remember every touch, every kiss. It was seared into her memory. She closed her eyes and took a ragged breath. Frustrated, she turned onto her side.

Her memory absently began to focus on the words she had said the next day. She silently cursed herself. She could see the pain in his eyes again as she pushed him away. She hated herself for that. With every passing day she wondered if she had made the right decision just a little more. It wasn't as easy to put behind her or forget as she had hoped it would be. She sighed and turned again.

She closed her eyes and desperately tried to sleep. She hadn't told anyone, but she hadn't slept well since. All she could think about was Bobby, New Orleans, and the stupid things she had said since. She was getting nowhere with it all, because she knew he'd always respect her wishes, and he'd never try anything, ever again. If something was going to happen, it would have to come from her. And she knew, that if she did try something, she'd confuse the hell out of him before she could explain what an idiot she had been, and well, that idea didn't appeal to her much either. Alexandra Eames was a proud woman, and she hated admitting she was wrong.

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Taking a deep shaky breath, Bobby knocked on the door. Looking at his watch, he realized it was just after five. He wondered how it had taken him an hour to get ready and get to her apartment. He then groaned and hoped she was awake. He wondered if he was making a huge mistake. He should have waited. He was about to leave, when he heard movement on the other side of the door.

Grabbing her robe, Alex had hesitantly walked up to her door. Looking through her peephole, she relaxed a little. Confused she opened her door and greeted him, "Bobby?"

Bobby gave her a nervous smile. He apologized, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have bothered you this early."

Stepping aside so he could come in, Alex assured him, "No. It's OK. I wasn't asleep or anything. What's wrong?"

Bobby nodded slightly. He refused to even think about why she couldn't sleep. He couldn't do it to himself. He was suddenly unsure of what he expected to get out of coming here. Walking in past her, he turned to face her. All words were lost to him. He watched her close and lock the door before turning to face him with a look of confusion on her face. Taking a deep breath, he bit the bullet, "This isn't working."

Alex's heart leapt into her throat. She couldn't think or even breathe for a moment. All she knew was that she had been wrong. He was pushing, despite what she had said. She wanted to kiss him, to tell him the truth. It wasn't working for her either, but all she could manage was to weakly say his name, "Bobby."

Bobby watched her for a moment. With a sigh, he realized he had nothing to lose. He confessed, "I know what you said. I understand. But either way, I don't know how many more days I can look up from my desk and see you and know I can't be with you, its torture and driving me crazy."

Alex closed her eyes. Taking her own deep breath, she admitted, "Ignoring it isn't working for me either."

Bobby instantly met her eyes for the first time since he had arrived. He dared to hope. His voice was soft and low as he acknowledged, "I can't just leave it alone."

Alex's words were shaky as she divulged, "I thought I could. I thought I had. I've spent the last week wishing I hadn't pushed you away."

It had been more than he had expected. There was hope, and he was relieved. He finally replied, "Well, that puts us in quite the predicament. I can't stop loving you, and frankly, I don't want to try anymore."

Alex nodded and assured him, "I love you too. I'm as tired of fighting it as you are. I don't want to pretend anymore. I just. I can't pretend anymore. I don't know what to do now."

Bobby stepped closer to her, testing the waters. He knew how he wanted their lives, and he wanted to offer her the option. He pushed a little, "We could make this work."

Alex stared at the floor. He stepped even closer. Looking up, she met his eyes and replied, "We can?"

Bobby was inches from her now. He touched her cheek with the back of her hand, he asked, "What does Deakins have to know?"

Alex closed her eyes at his touch. She gasped slightly as he kissed her neck. Opening her eyes, she met his eyes. With a nod, she agreed, "What he doesn't know won't hurt him."

Bobby nodded slowly and kissed her lips. He commented, "We can have the best of both worlds, and someone finds out, we can live with it. I can play nice with others Alex. I promise. I just can't go home without you anymore."

Alex let him kiss her again. She was beginning to feel rather weak kneed. Moaning softly, she chastised, "You're not playing nice now."

Bobby kissed her again. Smiling, he breathlessly whispered the challenge in her ear, "Really? Tell me to stop then."

Alex groaned. Mustering all the resistance she could gather Alex stepping back, and she insisted, "We have to go to work. If we're going to hide this from people, we can't start off by being late."

Bobby sighed. With a nod, he kissed one last time and left, leaving Alex stunned but smiling. Her head was swimming. She took a couple of shaky breaths and momentarily wondered what they had just gotten themselves into. Watching the door, she decided it didn't matter. Whatever happened, they'd be fine. She walked back to her bedroom to get ready for another day, knowing this one would end much better than almost any other she had had in a long time.


End file.
